Burning Man’s New Revenue Streams

People have complained about the cost of Burning Man tickets for years, and we’ve listened.

So we’ve spent the last couple months investigating new revenue streams that would allow us to reduce ticket prices (which are our only major source of revenue) while maintaining the operational budget necessary to produce the Burning Man event and continue growing our culture around the world. After much discussion and deliberation at Burning Man Headquarters, we’ve decided to move forward with the first of these initiatives.

You’ll notice some of these changes reflected on the Burning Man website homepage starting today, and you’ll see them in Black Rock City as well at this year.

We realize that this change represents a significant evolution of Burning Man’s cultural ethos, and as such, we welcome your feedback about it at revenue@burningman.com.

UPDATE: Happy April Fools’ Day everybody!

About the author: Will Chase

Will Chase

Will Chase is Burning Man's former Minister of Propaganda, working on global communications strategy. He was the editor-in-chief for the Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter and the Burning Man Journal, and content manager for Burning Man’s web properties. He also oversaw the ePlaya BBS and Burning Man’s social media presence. Will first attended Burning Man in 2001. He volunteered as the Operations Manager for the ARTery (Black Rock City’s art HQ) and was on the Burning Man Art Council from 2003-2008. He was Web Team Project Manager and Webmaster from 2004 until he transitioned to the Communications Department in 2009.

50 Comments on “Burning Man’s New Revenue Streams

  • simon of the playa says:

    Why This is just Monstrous.com…

    Roflmao…

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  • Jason Mongue says:

    It must be April 1 somewhere.

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  • Mike says:

    I’m looking forward to having a Strawberry Frappacino at Starbuck’s Center Camp, and I think the Gold Bond Powder First Aid Pavillion will be a great addition.

    Not so sure about the Mystic Tan booth they’re having at the Temple, though.

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  • Mike says:

    Will Hot Topic be sponsoring the Thunderdome again this year?

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  • I for one Love this Idea. One day out of seven Iam sure some crazy Idiot will Burn one of these Signs down … While My GF ( Niff Niff) hates the idea of Burningman going corporate , I for one Dont mind. Maybe if things keep going this way I can Finally Get a Project funded for a change ! The BURNING SQUID is coming this year on the PLAYA!!!

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  • jessejames says:

    Please contact me ASAP to discuss ways I can PARTICIPATE in this new and novel idea. While we’re at it why don’t we add trash pick up and get some porcelain toilets out there?

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  • Julian says:

    When do we see banners on the website?

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  • Michael{{{*}}}Starseed says:

    I’m just soooo happy to hear that this guy will be performing at Opulant Temple on Burn night!!!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqfEjidRh7U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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  • E says:

    And with this we are left with 9 principles instead of 10… R.I.P #3:

    Decommodification
    In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transact…ions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.

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  • Sound Man says:

    Hey, how can Burning Man use all those corporate logo trademarks, but I can’t call anything “Burning xxx” or use The Man logo? Oh, right “tradmark fair use” for the purpose of parody.

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  • KT says:

    I am excited about this! Finally, each night after my wanderings I can find my way back to camp by the glow of my favorite late night fast food sign – just like I do in the default world!

    They could even have a whole camp based on late night fast food! It would be just like a shopping mall. How cool! Yeah, they should get rid of those loud camps at 2 & 10 o’clock and replace them with food pavilions.

    I wonder how we’ll buy anything though since we’re still not using money. Maybe I’ll be able to trade my little vials of sacred vegan organic playa dust?

    Is there any way BMOrg could post the corporations they’ve already contracted with? Our camp is low on funds this year and we’re looking for a corporate sponsor. We talked with 7-11 but they told us BMOrg had already started contract negotiations with them. We’ve got an offer from Girls Gone Wild that looks promising.

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  • Shop Wizard says:

    Way cool. Do we get a Mc Fn Donalds too. I’m so excited for the new face of BM

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  • Indigo says:

    Woohoo! I just contacted a couple of the local stores here, and they agreed to finance my trip to Burning Man by placing big banners on the side of my trailer. I’m also making a whole bunch of cheap trinkets to sell and some of those cheap surgical knives you get at county fairs. Only, mine will all have the Man on them, making them “special.” I bet I actually make money this year!

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  • Moni says:

    This is very disappointing!

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  • Mulligan says:

    Don’t forget the airspace. “Green” ads flying overhead can bring in big $$. ;)

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  • Darccyde says:

    This damned well better be an April 1st joke…

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  • morgan says:

    That’s good. Because so much is already spent at home depot anyway for Burning Man. They need one for the reno WalMart too.

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  • onion says:

    i feel pricing is not to bad but also feel lower reserve tickets should be offered to theme camps who leave there sites in the green the year before as they are the life’s blood of the playa. it seems that most who get lower tier tickets are scalpers and people who have nothing else on there mind but going to party, they should reward those who make it special and take care to leave things as they were when they arrived

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  • Tina Praseuth says:

    LOL. Good one guys!!! ;-)

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  • Carol Chamberlain says:

    No, No, No, I understand that it is a Commercial World but the next thing I smell is the fresh scent of a “BIG MAC” as I open my eyes at BRC. How Sad That while we sit for hours going into and leaving our World we have to see Home Depot and Marlboro Man Cigarette Ads.

    If people want to go and be a part of the Other World we need to plan, to save, and then to savor the experience.

    Shame on You

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  • Kevin says:

    I’d rather pay the full price cause this is sure coming at a price. Better grab your ticket before it’s too late.

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  • Random says:

    You got me! I was deeply disturbed, followed by deeply amused.

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  • Adam says:

    I agree with Morgan. Home Depot should be sponsoring BM, not the other way around. I’d like to see some classy adult services billboards on the playa though.

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  • nate says:

    let the artists in for free. they’ll bring everything you need. cuz ya see, regular people give tons of shit to artists so they can have a good time. everything but money of course, for some strange reason. let the artists in and stop wasting money trying to buy the stuff you need. get it? good.

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  • patti mcdermott says:

    I love April 1st. How about the Golden Arches with a McBurning Man Burger!!!

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  • Joy says:

    Well. There damn well be an IHop. Im sick and tired of waiting in the long line at Shady Waffle Camp.

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  • Jono! says:

    This is the best idea I have heard all day… but I heard Burning Man was cancelled this year? :)

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  • Mark America says:

    Confetti Cannon! PERFECT!

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  • LMFAO….APRIL FOOL’S RIGHT BACK ATCHA! )'( ).( )'(

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  • simon of the playa says:

    Dr. Dre Likes This.

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  • Trouble says:

    Great!!! now I can get RONA and HOME DEPOT to sponsor our camp this year!! We will be taste testing vodkas from Smirnoff in our dome and eating white chocolate treats from Godiva. Cheers!

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  • chad byron says:

    oh….you guys. you got me. i admit it. i was like NO WAY…NEVER. then i was like Well.. you know tickets are expensive…..(NO WAY ii yelled inside my own mind) its not worth it its against everything we stand….finally ten hours later curiosity killed my kitty. the coup de gras was whene i clicked on the BM site to see a walmart ad deadcenter. and i bout it i was like sure why not??? lots of burners goto walmart in reno where (where else i should have been thinkin) GOOD ONE you got me!

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  • simon of the playa says:

    Oh, COMMODIFY already…

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  • socks says:

    This is a great news for i have just placed a order for condoms from china with the burning man logo on them.They will sell like hot cakes on the playa.

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  • Dan D Lyon says:

    At first I thought someone hacked the site… then I realized the date — good yuckers!

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  • Mister Jones says:

    Well, I just think we need to make sure that a fair system is developed, one that enhances not only the revenue stream of the BM corporation, but also of the burners.

    I like the idea of getting corporations to give us free booze and free food. However, there need to be rules about that because you know how those corporations are. They will be putting up great big signs but only giving out itty bitty samples of chocolate, vodka, etc. We can’t let them get away with that kind of crap. There has to be rules to keep corporate greed in check (and burners well fed and drunk).

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  • Contessa says:

    How are you all not getting sued by Victoria’s Secret, Home Depot, etc, when you’re using their actual names?

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  • Osc says:

    You know, LLC can charge a recurring monthly fee to turn-off ads for that retro ad-free experience, just like Mom used to make.

    De-commodify your commodification! Operators standing by….

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  • simon of the playa says:

    Burning Man has Confirmed that You are a Friend!

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  • Cupcake Man says:

    Nest up: The Burning Man Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

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  • Catherine says:

    I surely hope that this is a hoax. I should think the spirit of BM alone would make it unnecessary to mention the risk of corporations ultimately controlling some, or even all, aspects of BM as a result of such a misstep.

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  • Dan D Lyon says:

    Hey, it’s the 2nd… you’re scaring me here… what, is it now art? Still chuckling a little. Creepy though.

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  • Kathie says:

    WalMart! Honestly, if you could pick a corporation that would most NOT represent BM!

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  • simon of the playa says:

    Helco, Geico, whats the difference?

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  • Axle says:

    I would really like to think this is an april fools joke, but after attending the event in San Fransisco last night i have a feeling it not

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  • [smoke signal from the department that does not exist] says:

    don’t write your two ears upon the meanings of gewed and evol. merely, open thine third ear, and allow the righteous future to crystallize itself.
    …….WHAT THE PHVCK ARE WE DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT?………
    …oh, we were just invoking the magic of the universe, and look what happened….. how many burners does it take to clean up the mess? and what do we learn from all of this? operators sweeping by….

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  • Naiad says:

    I’ll admit it. You got me. Got me good.

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